


Half-Silent

by XariXipha



Series: Zim is Half-Deaf AU [1]
Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Deaf Character, Deaf Zim, Dib Being an Asshole (Invader Zim), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Rating for Curse words and mature topics, Slow Burn, ZADE, ZADF, ZaDr, Zim is hard of hearing, idk how to tag still, nothing too bad though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-09
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:42:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24618547
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XariXipha/pseuds/XariXipha
Summary: Zim is half-deaf AUWe start from the beginning when the Irken Invader first arrives. He's loud and arrogant and Dib is determined to do whatever he can to foil his plans. Only later will he discover the cause of his enemy's bizarre characteristics: a disability left unchecked by the Irken's nation for ignorance of its significance.Summary is a wip, and will be updated later.Intro was given an overhaul.
Relationships: Dib/Zim (Invader Zim)
Series: Zim is Half-Deaf AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1824322
Kudos: 82





	Half-Silent

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU separate from my previous works in the fandom. This is also heavily inspired by a post on tumblr by @mino177 so I highly suggest you guys go check them out. As always, feel free to leave a comment on your thoughts and predictions, I always appreciate hearing what you guys have to say!

_August 26th._

_Two weeks into fifth grade. The weather is starting to cool down as autumn creeps in. Days are shorter, less hot and humid. The trees are turning. It's the perfect weather for a hike through the forest. Perhaps a trip at this time of year would yield more conclusive results? Badgermoles, definitely. Although reclusive, it is almost mating season. Young males will be wandering off to establish their own territory and settle down. Start a family. Squatch hunting might carry similar results. Should definitely try out those new traps. Conclusive evidence will be much needed._

A ball of paper sails across the classroom and finds it's target: the raven-haired boy hunched over his desk. Golden eyes raise to address his peers, earning a swarm of giggles upon his irritated expression. 

_Peers are equally, if not more stupid than the year prior. No duration of time seems to deter their childish antics. Perhaps the time spent alone during summer vacation set them back?_

"Dib's writing in his diary again!" One of the girls sneers. The room laughs at him.

_Same classmates as always. No amount of redundancy or familiarity seems to lessen their hatred. They constantly feel the need to mock and belittle me._

"He's always buried in that journal of his, writing about bigfeets and other _crazy_ stuff!" Another peer adds. They continue to laugh at him. He clenches his pen tightly between his fingers. 

_I wish I didn't have to hear their words. As stupid and meaningless as they are, they've become grating._

"Be quiet, class!" His scary teacher, Miss Bitters, hisses at the class. He sighs in relief, sitting back in his seat. He can't write during class or else his notebook will get taken away. (It's happened before, much to his embarrassment.) But at least the children won't harass him during the lecture. "We all know Dib is ugly and annoying but your constant chittering is irritating. Now, get out your math books and prepare yourselves. Today's lesson is going to melt your brains, hopefully!" She instructs in that hollow, creepy voice of hers. Dib frowns, eyes downcast. 

Two weeks in and he already hates it. It's the same as last year, and the year before that, and the year before that one. 

"Yesterday we talked about fractions and how..." 

He couldn't care less about whatever she was saying. He knew it all already. Perks of being the son of the smartest man alive. He didn't understand why his father wouldn't let him test up, though. He could easily test into high school at this rate. 

Dib sighs. 

He knew why. It was the same reason why he was forced to attend public school in the first place. 

_Friends. Social Bonding._

He'd been an outcast all his life. And all his father wants is for him to be a little more normal. It wasn't much to ask for. Theoretically. 

He's tried his best to make friends with his classmates, but they always seem repulsed by him. No matter what he does, or what he tries. They cast him out. So, all he can do is accept it, and hope that someday they will change their minds. 

Maybe he just needs proof. Proof that all the things he believes in aren't nonsense. Proof that he isn't crazy. Maybe then he will finally find himself a friend. A real friend. 

Maybe...

"What!" Miss Bitters growls, disrupting his thoughts. "Another one! Why are you allowing a transfer two weeks into term!" She snarls. Something in the air shifts as the old woman slams the phone back into the receiver. The awful clank of the metal echos throughout the silent classroom. Every pair of eyes in there is locked onto her. Every gaze sparkles with curiosity, except for his. His are narrowed in suspicion. 

Who moves to a new school after two weeks?

"Class, it would appear we are getting a new student. Thankfully, we still have an empty seat because so many of the fourth-graders got held back last year. Unfortunately, that seat is now going to be filled with another useless excuse for a student this year. If I had my way, all of you would be demoted back to fourth grade so you won't be my problem anymore." She grumbles. Her words end, followed by prolonged silence. It is only broken three unbearably long minutes later, when the doorknob rattles. 

The students collectively suck in a breath. Their anticipation is tangible in the air. The door slowly creaks open...

...and Dib just about loses his fucking mind. 

He isn't very tall- average, really, for a fifth-grader. But he stands with his back straight and his shoulders back, radiating confidence personified. He marches into the room as if he owns the place. His large- abnormally large eyes held at half-mast, alert but casually so. His hair appears to have an almost plastic aesthetic to it, styled upwards into something 'in' with the latest fashion. And his clothing... are those black leather pants or leggings? With such sleek boots? And that shirt- er, dress? It's so pink! 

The worst of it, though, was his skin. It was a sickening olive color. A pale green. And he lacked a nose and ears! 

How was nobody else seeing this! 

"Go ahead and introduce yourself to the class." Miss Bitters instructs, her voice breaking the deafening silence. 

"Eh?" He turns back to look up at her, seemingly confused. He blinks, reorienting himself. "Oh! Hi, fellow Earth _friends!_ I am ZIM and I will be joining you as part of this customary Earth educational institution!" He greets, in a forced, but lighthearted tone. He even offers a grin of zipper-like teeth to try and sell himself. 

"Great, Zim. Now take a seat!" The teacher barks. 

But Dib isn't going to fall for it. 

"Wait!" He shouts, pointing a sharp finger at the fiend. Zim, as he calls himself, turns, and seems to notice him for the first time. One of his large, plastic-y eyes widen. 

Good. Be afraid! 

"Don't you all see! He's an alien! An Aliennnn!" He claims, standing upon his chair to make himself bigger. His classmates cast glances around the room. They're unsure. "Just look at him! His skin is green! Who has green skin?" He points out. Zim's eyes widen fully. A bead of sweat even appears upon his forehead. 

"It's not nice to make fun of people for their skin color, Dib." It's Zeta who says this, chastising. He balks, waving his hand wilding in the alien's direction. 

"But he doesn't have a nose either! Or ears! Or eyebrows! How do you explain that? Huh, Zim?!" He confronts. Zim gazes off to the side. He seems nervous, unsettled. 

A corner of his lip twitches upwards, unnoticed by his peers. 

"It's... it's a skin condition..." He mumbles out, his expression appearing ashamed and bashful. The classroom erupts in jeers at the scythe-haired boy. He is left to glare at the alien, eyes wide in furious disbelief. The alien, who calls himself Zim, glares back with an expression of smug satisfaction. 

He won, and Dib absolutely despises him for it. He despises everyone in that classroom for not believing in him. 

"Quiet, QUIET!" Miss Bitters screeches, until the room is silent again. "Go to your seat, Zim! I'm not done melting your pathetic brains yet!" 

Dib lets himself sag back into his seat, tired and momentarily defeated. He looks over and finds the green menace gazing intensely at the chalkboard. When the scary hag of a teacher begins to drone on about boring fractions, the intensity quickly fades into boredom. Dib smirks. 

_No melting brains for you, Zim._

It's a silent victory for Earth. 


End file.
